CT to debut mattress recycling

4/24/2015

Photo | Lisa Wilder

Rocshay Thomas of Park City Green in Bridgeport breaks down an old mattress into its recyclable parts. Centers similar to this one say they recycle 96 percent of mattress materials into usable products: the covers (which can be turned into mattress pads), the cotton stuffing (turned into fabric), the foam (automobile padding), wood pieces (mulch), and springs (reforged steel).

Connecticut will unveil the nation's first mattress recycling program, Bye Bye Mattress, on May 1 in Hartford.The program was established by state law in 2013, calling for the manufacturers and consumers of mattresses to pay for their end-of-life disposal under a concept called product stewardship. Connecticut has a similar product stewardship program for paint.The Bye Bye Mattress program is funded by a $9 fee collected when a new mattress or box spring is sold. The program is administered by the Mattress Recycling Council, which is made up of industry professionals.Under the program, any used mattress that is discarded for city collection, picked up by a retailer, or dropped off by a consumer will be sent to a mattress recycler, who will break it down to reuse its components for other products.